In pictures: Duvdevan presented Chief of Staff Unit Citation
During the course of the latest terror wave, the elite unit has detained hundreds of suspects and wanted terrorists in the West Bank, thus earning a unit citation; 'We have created deterrence in the Palestinian street.'
Given the secretive nature of the unit, the identities of soldiers and commanders are kept confidential. However, unlike the first and second intifadas, today, due to the influence of cameras and social media, Palestinians oftentimes attempt to expose unit members whenever possible. This has forced Duvdevan to upgrade their capabilities and change tactics, with the goal being to make every undercover soldier lurking in a market or public square invisible, even with the constant presence of cameras.
A senior officer in the unit told Ynet, "The Palestinians have published a guide on how to identify undercover operatives, but it is complete nonsense in the face of the capabilities we have developed in addition to physical fitness and marksmanship."
The trust and confidence in the unit stems from the surgical precision of operations, according to the officer. Soldiers are required to demonstrate a high level of professionalism during clashes, such as aiming for the legs of dangerous individuals so as to avoid inciting a wider conflict whenever possible.
The same officer told Ynet of dozens of instances where soldiers arrived looking for wanted suspects armed with small arms, bombs and grenades. "We have not hesitated to get to refugee camps at two in the afternoon and leave with a wanted suspect without killing other Palestinians, even when hundreds confront us. This requires an enormous amount of calm and skill."
